Police searching for teen in beating death of toddler boy

By Mary Manning

Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 | 4:31 p.m.

Metro Police issued a warrant Monday for the arrest of a teenager accused in the fatal beating last week of a 16-month-old boy.

The warrant charges 18-year-old Jocquise Coleman with two counts of child abuse with substantial bodily harm and child neglect with substantial bodily harm.

Police said Coleman was taking care of 16-month-old Lamaj Terry at an apartment complex at 5150 Spyglass Hill Drive while his mother went to work on Wednesday, the warrant stated. The toddler's mother told police she had known Coleman for about a month.

Police said neighbor children then alerted two residents of the complex that a toddler had stopped breathing inside an apartment.

The two residents rushed into an apartment and found the 16-month-old boy lying on a bed alone in the apartment, his lips blue and apparently not breathing, the warrant said.

The tot's mother returned from work and went to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where the toddler was placed on life support. Doctors and later a coroner's examination revealed that the boy had bruises on his face, head and ribs, and that there was vomit in his lungs, the warrant said. A medical report on Lamaj Terry indicated his injuries were from "definite physical abuse."

Lamaj Terry died at the hospital Thursday after being pronounced brain dead and removed from life support.

Police said they believe Coleman may have fled to Los Angeles.

Anyone with information about Jacquise Coleman or where he can be found is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555.